Electric switch



Marcia 11, 1930,

H. E. NQRVIEL ELECTRIC SWITCH :2 Sheozs-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 2'7, 192% March 11, 1930. H. E. NGRVEEL EJ50 289 ELECTRIC; SWITCH 2 sheets sheet 2 Gaol/"4% Patented Mar. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES HARRY E. NOBVIEL, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO DELGO-REMY CORPORA- '.'I .ION, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE ELECTRIC SWITCH Applicationfiled-December 27, 1928. Serial No. 328,684.

One object of the present invention is to I simplify the construction of, and reduce the cost of manufacture of switches of this type.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention is'clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a switch embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the switch as viewed in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is a section through the switch enclosure on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the switch contact support assembly.

Fig. 6 is a section of the same along the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a section of the same as viewed along the line 7-7 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a detail of the switch controller or lever.

Fig. 9 is a rear face view of the contact supporting block.

Fig. 10 is a section thereof on the line 10-1() of Fig. 9.

Figs. 11 and 12 are detail of the contact plates.

Fig. 13 is a detail of a drivlng washer.

Figs. 14 and 15 are details of a second contact plate, Fig. 15 being a sectional view on the line 15-15 of Fig. 14.

With particular reference to the drawings, the switch unit comprises a bracket assembly A, enclosing a contact support: assembly B, which cooperates with a switch back and terminal assembly C.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 20 designates a pressed sheet metal switch mounting bracket, having hooked ears 21 for engaging angle bars or the like which are supported ad acent the back of an instrument board. The bracket 20 has pressed therein a tubular part 22 of subas viewed views of one stantially frusto-conical formation providmg the sloping side walls of a switch case. The sloping wall of the frusto-conical portion 1s pressed or punched inwardly at proper places as 23 to provide the tangs or stop lugs 24, for a purpose later to be explained.

The front wall of the switch case is provided by a dial plate 25 which is secured to the bracket 20 by a bezel ring 26, having a flat flange 27 engaging the front face of the bracket 20. The flange 27 is secured to the bracket 20 by providing the former with ears 28 which are bent into notches 29 provided in the latter, said ears being finally bent at 30 against the back of the bracket 20. As shown, the bezel ring 26 is elliptical and projects through an elliptical opening in the instrument board. When assembled with the bracket, the dial plate 25. is provided with an aperture 35, the wall of which provides a hearing for the hub 36 of a lever 37. Lever 37 is provided within the switch case with flanges 38, 39 and 40 which bear against the inside of the dial plate 25 to prevent withdrawal of the handle 37 from the switch case. The handle 37 is provided with inwardly extending tangs 41 adapted to enter notches 42 in a non-conducting plate 43.

The contact-support assembly B comprises the non-conducting plate or contact actuator 43, just referred to, and forms the novel construction illustrated in Figs. 5 to 7, and 9 to 15 inclusive.

The contact supportin block 43 is of somewhat star formation as s own in Figs. 5 and 9, and provides the arms 44, 45, 46 and 47 each having a cup-shaped receptacle 48. The block is further provided with the hub portion 49 having a central bore 50 terminating with an enlarged recess forming a countersink, and with two peripheral notches 42 substantially diametric of each other relative to the central aperture 50. The member 43 is composed of a non-conducting moldable material, and when constructed is so molded as to include the appointments just mentioned and is also moldably secured about the enlarged head portions 52 of stud members 53, which extend substantially perpendicular to one face of the supporting member 43, and

are preferably located upon the same side thereof as the cup-shaped receptacles 47 hereinbefore referred to.

As before stated the notches 42 coo erate with the tan s 41 of the handle mem r 37 to provide a riving engagement between the handle and the switch contact support 43, and the hub portion 49 is so received in the hub 36 of the handle 37 as to provide a bearing for one end of the switch contact assembly. A second bearing for this assembly will be described hereinafter. The block 43 is also provided with one arm, as 47, extended beyond the cup 48 to form a stop 54 which, when assembled within the switch casing will cooperate with the lugs 24 which will limit the rotary movement of the block 43 as it is driven by the handle 37 The member 43 resiliently supports a pair of contact plates and 80 in driving engagement with the studs 53. One of the contact plates as 60 is substantially of the letter H formation, having a main shank portion 61 terminating at each end with a cross arm forming the lateral extensions 62, 63, 64 and 65, which carry embossed contact areas 66 at the ends thereof. The main shank portion or bridge member 61 is provided with a relatively large central aperture 67, and with the lateral ears 68 which are apertured at 69 substantially diametric of the main aperteure 67. These parts are so designed that the apertures 69 will cooperate with and be freely received by the studs 53, while the enlarged aperture 67 is aligned with the countersink 51 of the block 43 hereinbefore referred to.

The second contact plate 80 is substantially of cruciform configuration as illustrated in Fig. 14, and comprises the planar portion 82 with the substantially symmetrical arms 83, terminating in spherical bosses 84 forming the contact oints, and is centrally apertured asat 85 or a purpose later to be described. At substantially diametric points from this central aperture and disposed between the arms 83, there are provided laterally extending arms 86 which are bent at right angles to the planar portion 82, and in an opposite direction of the embossments 84,

anchoring and driving tangs 87 as appear in Fig. 15.

Provisions are made for mounting and securing the contact plate 80, by forming a disc or washer of non-conductin material with a central aperture 71 and t e substantially diametric apertures 72, of such form and dimension as to receive the contact plate with the driving ln s 87 securely retained within the apertures 2 of the washer 70. This will dispose the aperture of the contact plate over the central apertures 71 of the washer 70, and with tangs 87 extending into the apertures 72 of the washer 70 where they are secured by bending them against the body of the washer 70. The member 70, or driving washer as it may be termed, is further provided with the notches 73 which are so oriented with respect to the central aperture 71 as to be freely received by thestud members 53 of the supporting block 43.

hen the driving washer 70 is placed over the studs 53 so that they are received within the notches 73, then the central aperture 71 will be axially disposed with respect to the central bore 50 of the block 43.

Means are provided for retaining the contact plates resiliently spaced from, but in driving engagement with, the supportin plate 43 in the following manner. A head or shouldered journalled pin 90, having an elongated head 91 with an intermediate re duced portion 92 and a portion of smaller reduction 93, is threaded successively through the aperture 85 of the contact plate 80, through the central apertures 71 of the driving plate 7 0, and the central aperture 67 of the contact plate 60, thence through a helical compression spring 94, and finally, the smallest portion 93 of the pin is thrust through the central aperture 50 of the block 43 where the end of the pin is peened or riveted over as at 95 to secure the parts in assembled relation.

Upon reference to Figs. 6 and 7, it will be seen that this construction disposes the contact assembly as being mounted upon the intermediate portion 92 of the pin 90, between the head 91 and the face of the block 43, with the studs 53 received within the special provisions afforded by the apertures 69 of the plates 60, and the notches 73 of the driving disc 70. The aperture 71 through the plate 70 is of a size to be received by the intermediate ortion 92 of the pin, and move longitudina ly thereof, but not large enough to pass over the head 91. The head 91 of the pin 90 therefore provides a stop for limiting the movement of the contact assembly along the pin 90.

The studs 53 are of such a length as to protrude into the s ecial provisions 69 and 73 at all times, an to provide driving engagement between the block 43 and the members 60 and 70 irrespective of their position along the reduced portion 92 of the stud 90. With the parts assembled as stated, the spring 94 is disposed about the journal pin 90, and has one end seated within the recess 51 of the block 43 and the other end disposed against the near side of the driving disc 70.

The central aperture 67 of the contact plate 60 is sufficiently greater in diameter than the coils of the spring .94, so that the contact plate 60 will move along the studs 53 and pin 90 without contacting any part of the spring 1 94. Thus, it is seen that the spring 94 tends to exert an axial separation of the block 43 and the driving disc 70, or in other words it tends to force the contact plate 80 and its insulated mount 7 0 away from the supporting-"block 43, or, the spring 94 tends to urge the driving disc 70 and its contact plate 80 against the head 91 of the journalled pin 90.

Means are also provided for urging the contact plate toward the head of the journalled pin 90, by providing the helical compression springs 95 disposed between the block 43 and the contact plate 60, so that the ends of the springs 95 are received by the cup-shaped receptacles 48 and the hollowed portion of the spherical embossments 66 as will appear when reference is made to Figs. 2 and 7.

By this means of construction, a single contact actuator is provided which drivingly engages a pair of contact plates each insulated one from the other, and both axially adjustable to and from the contact actuator so as to provide a resilient engagement with a (3(- operating switch back assembly now to be described.

The back of the switch case or the switch back assembly C, is provided by the nonconducting block 100, of molded insulating material and is provided with a plurality of notches 101 at its periphery for receiving the tangs 31 which extend from the case wall 22, and are bent down-against the back of the block 100, as at 102, Fig. 3.

The switch back 100 is provided with a plurality of inserts or contact terminals as shown in Fig. 3 to cooperate with the plate 00 and 80 respectively.- Each switch terminal is in the form of a tubular rivet 103 threaded to receive a terminal screw, and moldably secured within the body of the block 100. Where desired or feasible, the'rivets 103 are supplanted by countersink headed rivets 104. having an anchorage and contact portion 105 moldably received in the block 100, for securin terminal brackets 106, or fuse supports 10 to the switch back C. in another instance two or more of the rivets 103 may be electrically connected as by means of the links or connectors 108. The block 100 is provided at a point substantially coaxial of the member and in axial alignment with the hub 36 of the lever 37 with a recess 109 for receiving the head 91 of the journal pin 90, and forming a second bearing for the switch contact assembly as earlier referred to.

This form of switch construction provides for an efficient mechanism, in which a pair of contact plates are separately mounted upon a single actuator, and both capable of automatically adjusting themselves with respect to the terminals with which they are to cooperate, always insuring clean contact surfaces between the points and positive electrical contact when the contact points are properly associated. The contact plates and their supporting block form a complete unit which can be assembled with the bracket as- 1,7so,aso 3 sembly and the switch back assembly in a fraction of the time required to assemble the parctls by one method heretofore known or use 1 While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An electric switch comprising, in combination, a pressed sheet metal mounting bracket having a dial plate fixed thereto, said mounting bracket having a frusto-conical portion pressed therein substantially perpendicular to said dial plate to form a switch housing integral with said bracket, a stationary switch back carrying terminals and stationary contacts fixed to the end of said frusto-coiical portion, movable switch mechanism within said case and having movable contacts, stops formed from the frusto-conical wall portion of said bracket to limit the movement of said switch mechanism, and a switch handle having a hub portion extending through said dial plate and operatively connected with said movable contacts.

2. An electric switch comprising, in combination, a pressed sheet metal mounting bracket having a dial plate fixed thereto, said mounting bracket having a frusto-conical portion pressed therein to form a switch housing integral with said bracket, a switch back fixed to the end or" said frusto-conical portion, movable switch mechanism within said housing, stops formed in the wall of said frusto-conical portion to limit the movement of said switch mechanism, and means for moving the switch mechanism against either of the stops.

3. An electric switch comprising, in combination, a pressed sheet metal mounting bracket having a dial plate'fixed thereto, said mounting bracket having a frusto-conical portion pressed therein to form a switch housing integral with said bracket, a switch back fixed to the end of said frusto-conical portion, movable switch mechanism within said housing, said frusto-conical portion terminating in tangs for retaining the switch back thereto, and also provided with lugs struck inwardly from the frusto-conical wall into the path of movement of said switch mechanism to limit the movement thereof, and means journalled in the dial plate for driving said switch mechanism.

4. An electric switch comprising, in combination, a pressed sheet metal mounting bracket having a dial plate fixed thereto, said mounting bracket having a frusto-conical portion pressed therein to form a switch housing integral with said bracket, a switch back fixed to the end of said frusto-conical portion, a rotary switch mechanism within said housin having a part adjacent the sloping wall 0 the frusto-conical portion and means struck from the said sloping wall into the path of said movable port tolimit the rotary movement thereof.

5. An electric switch comprising, in combination, an open back casing, a switch back havin a series of stationary contacts fixed to sai casing, 'a contact support assembly within the casing having movable contacts for cooperation with the stationary contacts, said assembly including a supporting block of insulating material provide with a headed journal pin insulatingly supporting a pair of contact lates, a air of studs on opposite sides 0 the pin or guiding the contact plates in axial movement on the pin and for driving the contacts upon rotation of the sup orting block, and springs urging the bloc and contact plates axially apart and maintainin the contact plates in engagement with t e switch back.

6. An electric switch comprisin a stationary casing having a front dial p ate, and an insulated switch back carrying a series of stationary contacts; a switch handle having a hub portion journalled within an a erture in said dial plate; an insulating bloc fixed to said hub portion and having, a headed journal pin coaxial with said hub, supported at one end by said block and having a bearing at the other end in the switch back, and a pair of studs on op osite sides of said pin supported at one end y said block, said j ournal pin and studs supporting and driving a contact assembly for cooperation with the stationary contact includin a pair of contact plates and an interpose non-conudctmg drivlng washer carried by the pin, said studs drivingly enga ing one of the plates and the washer, the ot er contact plate being insulatingly and drivingly mounted upon the washer, and springs engaging the block and the contact assembl for urging them in opposite axial directions to be guided by the studs and to maintain engagement between the switch back and contact assembly.

7. An electric switch comprising, a statlonary casing having a front dial plate, and an insulated switch back carrying a series of stationary contacts; a switch handle having a hub portion journalled within an aperture in said dial plate; an insulating block fixed to said hub portion and havin a headed our nal pin coaxial with the hu supported by the block and having the head thereof bearing in a recess in the switch back, a pair of insulated contact plates with an interposed non-conducting washer carried by the pin, a plurality of headless studs having one end secured to the block and the other end loosely enga ed b one of the plates and the interposed was er, springs urging the block and plates in opposite axial directions, said studs providing a driving engagement for the contact plates, and guiding the axial movement thereof, said journal pm limiting the axial separation of the block and plates.

8. In an electric switch, in combination, a contact su port assembly comprising, an msulatin b ock moldably securing a headed journa pin and a pair of studs, two contact plates axially spaced a art by an insulating member supported by t e in and both drivingly connected to the b ocli by the studs, and a series of coil springs inter sed between the contact plates and the block or yieldingl vurging a separation of the plates and bloc axially of the pin, said studs guidin the axial movement of the parts and sai pin limiting the movement thereof.

9. In an electric switch. in combination, a contact support assembly comprising, a contact actuator of moldable insulating material, having a headed journal pin and a pair of studs secured therein, a contact plate and a non-conducting washer secured to the actuator by the headed pin, a second contact plate secured to the washer concentric with but insulated from the first plate, said studs having a driving engagement with the first contact plate and with the washer su orting the second plate, s rings interpose tween the actuator and t e first plate, and between the actuator and the washer for urging the contact plates axially away from the actuator and a ainst the head of the journal pin, said pin limiting the axial movement and said studs guiding the contacts in their axial movement.

10. In an electric switch, in combination, a contact support assembl comprising, a contact actuator of moldab e insulatin material, having a headed journal pin an a pair of studs secured therein, a contact plate having a plurality of embossed areas servin as contact points, and apertures in the p ate loosely receiving the pin and studs, a washer of insulatin materia supported by the pin and disposec l between the contact plate and the head of the pivot pin, and rovlded with apertures for receiving the en s of the studs, a second contact platecarried by the washer concentric with but insulated from the first plate, springs engaging the actuator and the embossed areas of the first mentioned plate for urging them axially apart, and a spring coaxial with the pin and en ging the actuator and washer for urging t em in axial separation, said pin limiting the axial movement of both contact plates, and said studs guiding both plates in their axial movement.

11. In an electric switch, in combination, a contact support assembly comprising, a contact actuator of moldable insulating material, having a headed journal pin and a pair of studs secured therein, a contact late apertured to be loosely received by the pin and studs, and capable of axial movement thereon, a non-conducting washer similarly apertured and disposed against the contact plate so that the washer engages the head of the pin and separates it from the contact plate, a second contact plate supported and driven by the washer, spring means interposed between the actuator and the second contact plate for urging the said second plate axially away from the actuator, spring means interposed between the actuator and the first contact plate for urging both of the contact plates in axial separation from actuator, said studs guiding the plates in their axial movement, and said pin limiting the axial movement of said plates. In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

HARRY E. NORVIEL. 

